Alabama Football: 5 position groups to watch this spring
Although Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide were not able to claim a national championship this past season, the 2021 team still accomplished quite a bit.
The Tide won the SEC Championship and finished with an impressive 13-2 record and Bryce Young became the first Alabama quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.
Now that the season has come to an end, let’s shift our focus to spring practice and which position groups Alabama fans should be watching when the Tide returns to practice in a couple of months.
Tight End
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The tight end position was sort of a strange position group for Alabama in 2021. Jahleel Billingsley vanished from the offense thus pushing him into the transfer portal and Cameron Latu had moments where he shined and moments that showed it was his first year in the starting lineup.
Latu is back and should be in store for a monster senior season. Joining Latu in the tight end room will be Robbie Ouzts, a freshman in 2021 that suffered a season-ending injury late in the season.
Alabama also signed a couple of talented prospects such as Elijah Brown and Amari Niblack.
It should be fun to see how the Tide decides to use the tight ends this spring.
Quarterback
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I know that Bryce Young is returning, but there is very little experience behind Young in the quarterback room. Paul Tyson has moved on and Jalen Milroe saw limited action this past season as a true freshman.
Behind Milroe will be even less experience in true freshman Ty Simpson. I imagine Milroe and Simpson will be put through the wringer this spring.
Running Back
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Injuries plagued the running back room in 2021 and when the dust settled, Brian Robinson Jr. and Trey Sanders were the only two scholarship backs remaining healthy in the back half of the season.
Robinson will be moving on to the NFL so the starting spot will be wide open during spring practice.
The status of Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams is uncertain at this time. Camar Wheaton should be available and Alabama also brought in a talented transfer back from Georgia Tech in Jahmyr Gibbs. True freshman Jamarion Miller enrolled early, so he will also be participating in spring practice.
Depth isn’t an issue for the Tide, but someone will need to step up and take the lead back role. That process starts this spring.
Wide Receiver
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Jameson Williams and John Metchie are headed off to the NFL and Javon Baker has entered the transfer portal (and he may not be the last of the WR’s to hit the portal). That means the wide receiver spots are wide open this spring.
Agiye Hall, Traeshon Holden, and JoJo Earle all showed signs of potential during the 2021 season. But they will now likely be the leaders of a talented yet inexperienced group of receivers.
The wide receiver room is stacked with talent, but none that is exactly proven at the college level. Someone will need to step up this spring to lead this young group.
Offensive Line
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Perhaps the most inconsistent position group for Alabama in 2021 was the offensive line. Evan Neal and Chris Owens are now gone and it would seem that three of the five spots are full. That leaves two spots up front that is open for competition.
Javion Cohen, Seth McLaughlin, and Emil Ekiyor all return as starters, but filling the two remaining spots will be huge for the Tide.
Alabama is not short of talent along the offensive line. JC Latham, Tommy Brocketmeyer, Terrence Ferguson, Darrian Dalcourt, Damieon George, Jaeden Roberts, and Amari Kight are literally just a handful of the players that will be competing to win a job in the starting lineup.
Finding consistency upfront will be vital for the Tide this spring.
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